If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

KARACHI: A two-member security team will arrive in Karachi on Saturday to witness the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final rehearsal.

The third edition of Pakistan’s cash-rich T20 league will be played from February 22 to March 25, where the Darren Sammy-led Peshawar Zalmi will defend their title.

PCB’s differences with franchises over dues put third PSL edition in jeopardy
All of the round matches and the first play-off will be played in the United Arab Emirates, whereas second and third play-offs will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Karachi will host the grand finale of the tournament at National Stadium, which will also be the PSL’s first match in the city.

The dress rehearsal for the mega event will take place on Sunday, for which the two-member delegation will arrive a day earlier.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials will also meet IG Sindh Police on Wednesday to discuss about the security arrangements.

Sethi assures PSL ‘firmly on track’

On the other hand, Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA)’s chief executive Tony Irish has refused to draw any conclusion for the final in Karachi and revealed that the organisation is currently preparing a report to assist players.

“To play or not to play in the T20 league is the player’s decision,” he said. “We don’t have any control over that. However, we provide them information from which they can make the best decision. So we are currently in the process of preparing the report for the final in Karachi.”

Talking about corruption in cricket, the Irishman believes more has to be done at the grassroots level to educate players.

“We would want to see more comprehensive approach towards dealing with corruption in cricket,” he added. “Players need to be educated, and that is not restricted to these T20 leagues only. Players should know what they can and cannot do.”

PSL Final to be Played in Karachi; Security Clearance Awaited

PSL Final to be Played in Karachi; Security Clearance Awaited

PTI | Updated: February 8, 2018, 10:34 AM IST

Karachi: The Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) is preparing a security report to help players decide whether they want to play in the Pakistan Super League final. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it will be holding two play-off matches in Lahore and the final in Karachi in March.

A two-member security delegation headed by expert Reg Dickason is due to witness a full dress rehearsal at the national stadium on Sunday where the final is scheduled for March 22.

Karachi has not hosted any international cricket since Sri Lanka and Pakistan last played a Test match in early 2009. FICA Chief Executive, Tony Irish told the 'Express' newspaper that so far they have refused to draw any conclusion for the PSL final. He revealed that FICA is currently preparing a report to assist players.

"To play or not to play in the T20 league is the players' decision," he said. "We don't have any control over that. However, we provide the information from which they can make the best decision. So we are currently in the process of preparing the report for the final in Karachi," Irish added.

The FICA report will be significant in deciding how many foreign players will be seen in action in the PSL final as last year when the final. Pakistan last year made a strong attempt to bring back international cricket to the country by first hosting the PSL final in Lahore and then hosting the World eleven and Sri Lanka also in Lahore for T20 games in September and October.

All of the PSL league matches and the first play-off will played in the United Arab Emirates, whereas second and third play-offs will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore with final the scheduled to be held in Karachi.

Oh Stop this drama.. Let them play.. it is not like PCB/Pak Govt will be foolish enough to provide lax security. I am sure they will do the best they can to provide the best security they have.. The chances of 2008 act repeating is probably one in million. Chances of getting into an automobile accident under normal circumstances is more than being the target of a terrorist attack. I know these games might get targeted but they also will get the best security the govt can afford. So that higher threat gets cancelled due to higher security and the probability of players being attacked again will be same as they getting involved in an automobile accident.

KARACHI - A full-dress rehearsal of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) third edition’s final will be held in Karachi on Sunday for which international security consultant arrived in Karachi on Saturday.

Sindh police, Pakistan Rangers, Airport Security Force (ASF) and all other security agencies of Pakistan will present a demonstration of the security arrangements with other stakeholders of the PSL final also present. One of the international security consultants, Craig Dotson, arrived in Karachi to analyse the security arrangements in the city.

Datson will witness the full dress rehearsal to be held in National Stadium of Karachi (NSK) on February 11, after which he will submit a report to the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA). “I will be having a meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials today here in Karachi and then will be visiting the stadium too,” said Dotson while talking to media. “I will also be present at the full dress rehearsal and will be making a report.”

Talking about his visit, he further added: “I am not sure for how many days I am here. I will know that after the meeting with the PCB officials.”

Meanwhile, DIG East Sultan Khawaja said that the security officials have been in coordination for Sunday’s full-dress rehearsal and a meeting was also hosted by the Chief Minister Sindh with all the high officials of Law Enforcement Agencies.

“We have been in coordination with them since November,” said Khawaja. “The security consultants gave us suggestions when they last visited in November and we have been following them. We had presented a comprehensive presentation to them then. Chief Minister also held a meeting with the top security officials of Rangers, Police and ASF on Friday and all coordination has been done.” Khawaja added that the plan was explained to the consultants on Saturday and a practical demonstration will be held on Sunday. “

On Sunday, we will cover the theoretical part, while on Saturday we will do the practically show the consultants how everything will happen.”

Khawaja then revealed the highlights of the security plan which will be put in place on March 25 for the final. “On March 25, we will be deploying around 8,000 policemen who will have 300 to 400 police mobiles and 300 to 400 police motorbikes at their disposal. Pakistan Rangers and other security agencies of Pakistan will also be a part of the security detail for the players,” he said.

He continued: “The rehearsal on Sunday will be a four to six hour affair where all aspects of the security will be demonstrated to the security consultant, and if he has any concerns we will note them.”

He then requested the citizens of Karachi to cooperate during the practice on Sunday.

“We have to prove to everyone that the people of Karachi are peace loving and law-abiding citizens who deserve to witness cricket matches,” said Khawaja, adding that Karachiites will be told about alternate traffic routes through Sindh Police’s radio station.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal on Sunday said that the Sindh Government has delivered on its promise and is hopeful that all concerned parties will be satisfied with the arrangements made for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 final to be conducted in Karachi.

The comments were made while the home minister visited the National Stadium during a dress rehearsal for the final was underway in the metropolis. The final itself is expected to be held in Karachi on March 25.

"We have delivered all the promises we made for the security of the final; all security agencies have come together to make this event possible," Siyal said.

He added: "I hope this arrangement satisfies the ICC team that is visiting the country to review the preparations we have made. We will take any suggestions they make into consideration and hope that the final will take place in Karachi."

At least 8,000 personnel of different law enforcement agencies participated in the rehearsal, which took place in two parts: the first leg of the rehearsal stretched from the airport to the hotel, where the teams will be staying, while the second leg took place from the hotel to Karachi's National Stadium.

The city government had provided paramedic staff and fire brigade services for the rehearsal, while a control room had been created to monitor the movement of each and every person present in and around the stadium.

"We have 80 cameras set up in and round the stadium. These cameras are capable of zooming in on the crowd so everyone present in the stadium will be monitored," Qaisar Abbas, a member of the monitoring team, told DawnNews.

"Anyone who passes through any gate of the stadium will be passing in front of camera for facial recognition," Abbas said.

On the basis of the successful conduct of the rehearsal, recommendations will be made to the Federation of International Cricketers' Association, which will then decide whether or not to allow foreign players to participate in the PSL final.

A total of 34 matches will be played across different venues in Dubai, Sharjah and Lahore.

During the season, all teams will play against each other twice before the top four teams qualify for the play-off stage.

Last year, the PSL Season 2 final was held at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium amid tight security.

It was seen by some as a watershed moment in Pakistan's cricketing history as it saw several foreign cricketers visit Pakistan under tight security years after a gun-and-bomb attack on a Sri Lankan side in Lahore.

Since the PSL 2 final, a World XI side and a Sri Lanka side have also played in Lahore. The PSL 2018 final is seen as the next step in PCB's long-term plan to bring international cricket back to the cricket-deprived nation.

International Cricket Council's (ICC) Foreign Security Consultant Reg Dickason said on Sunday that he would submit a report on the security rehearsal of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 final within seven days.

The comments were made after the security rehearsal conducted for the final of PSL 2018. The final itself is expected to be held in Karachi on March 25.

"I thank everyone involved in providing us with such a thorough and professional presentation [of the security arrangements]. The efforts of all the agencies combined with Mr Sethi from the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) are very encouraging to see, and that would reflect in any further reports we give to the PCB and the ICC" Dickason said.

"We do have a few things to discuss, but overall, it was an impressive show that came after months and months of planning and discussions," Dickason said when asked if the rehearsal will be enough for the ICC to convince players to come to Pakistan.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, while visiting the National Stadium during the rehearsal, said that the Sindh Government has delivered on its promise and is hopeful that all concerned parties will be satisfied with the arrangements made for the PSL 2018 final to be conducted in Karachi.

"We have delivered all the promises we made for the security of the final; all security agencies have come together to make this event possible," Siyal said.

He added: "I hope this arrangement satisfies the ICC team that is visiting the country to review the preparations we have made. We will take any suggestions they make into consideration and hope that the final will take place in Karachi."

At least 8,000 personnel of different law enforcement agencies participated in the rehearsal, which took place in two parts: the first leg of the rehearsal stretched from the airport to the hotel, where the teams will be staying, while the second leg took place from the hotel to Karachi's National Stadium.

The city government had provided paramedic staff and fire brigade services for the rehearsal, while a control room had been created to monitor the movement of each and every person present in and around the stadium.

"We have 80 cameras set up in and round the stadium. These cameras are capable of zooming in on the crowd so everyone present in the stadium will be monitored," Qaisar Abbas, a member of the monitoring team, told DawnNews.

"Anyone who passes through any gate of the stadium will be passing in front of camera for facial recognition," Abbas said.

On the basis of the successful conduct of the rehearsal, recommendations will be made to the Federation of International Cricketers' Association, which will then decide whether or not to allow foreign players to participate in the PSL final.

A total of 34 matches will be played across different venues in Dubai, Sharjah and Lahore.

During the season, all teams will play against each other twice before the top four teams qualify for the play-off stage.

Last year, the PSL Season 2 final was held at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium amid tight security.

It was seen by some as a watershed moment in Pakistan's cricketing history as it saw several foreign cricketers visit Pakistan under tight security years after a gun-and-bomb attack on a Sri Lankan side in Lahore.

Since the PSL 2 final, a World XI side and a Sri Lanka side have also played in Lahore. The PSL 2018 final is seen as the next step in PCB's long-term plan to bring international cricket back to the cricket-deprived nation.

and we are hoping to make money through PSL which is supposedly to be reinvested in promoting cricket
Who will be footing the bill for all the enhanced security and how many matches other than the final are on the table. With SWAT cops covering the grounds and helos buzzing overhead it doesn't inspire much confidence for anyone willing to play on the ground and that's not how games should be played.

and we are hoping to make money through PSL which is supposedly to be reinvested in promoting cricket
Who will be footing the bill for all the enhanced security and how many matches other than the final are on the table. With SWAT cops covering the grounds and helos buzzing overhead it doesn't inspire much confidence for anyone willing to play on the ground and that's not how games should be played.

After such a long break, it will take time, effort, and money to normalize it once again. You cannot expect anyone to come back without this level of security even ten years from now.

Will still be a while before the big teams are convinced, but if ICC get convinced and make tours mandatory to Pak in the future then teams could be more encouraged or risk losing ranking points. A long time away from that day though.

Will still be a while before the big teams are convinced, but if ICC get convinced and make tours mandatory to Pak in the future then teams could be more encouraged or risk losing ranking points. A long time away from that day though.

That will never happen. Tours by respective nation is still prerogative of individual board and their govt.

The exaggerated number of security personnel is necessary to gain confidence and trust of the foreign player. It calms the mind. Gaining trust back is done step by step. I am pretty sure in the future a lesser number would suffice too.

Politics shouldn't be involved in sports but you are right. I just wish subcontinental teams would never mix politics and sport.

Thats a wishful thinking. Mixing politics with sports started during cold war era, now subcontinent teams are mastering it.
I disagree with concept that Sports and Politics shouldn't be mixed. Its practically not possible for a sports body to go against the wishes of its govt. Sports, like Trade is a tool used by respective govt for negotiations.

KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Friday said that it is a good omen that final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) is going to be held in Karachi.

He said that people of Karachi love cricket and this is an important event for them. All possible cooperation will be provided to the management of the PSL, he said while talking to media representatives in a visit to the National Stadium.

Mayor said that the Karachi is the city of cricket enthusiasts and this city has given many world class players to the world of cricket.

He expressed hope that the stadium will be full of spectators on the day of the final of the PSL and they would get to see a great game.

He said Karachi Metropolitan Corporation will provide all kinds of support and cooperation in the holding of this event in National Stadium. Fire brigade, city wardens and rescue 1122 officials will be deputed for the final at the National Stadium, he assured.

He added that such events should be held in Karachi on regular basis so this city could be made the centre of attention for the world of sports.